The majority of vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and construction and farm equipment employ the use of a drive shaft between the rear end (differential) and the transmission of these vehicles. Typically, the drive shaft is connected at one end to the transmission by a yoke and universal joint assembly and at its second end to the differential by a second yoke and universal joint assembly. One of the yokes of each assembly is secured to the end of a stub shaft which respectivelly extends from the transmission housing and differential housing. These yokes are secured to the stub shafts by nuts.
A problem encountered in such construction is that after a period of use (particularly in the heavier vehicles), the nuts tend to become loosened and must be tightened.
In order to tighten these nuts, the yoke and universal joint generally must be disassembles so that an impact wrench or the like can be placed on the nut to provide the necessary tightening force. No tool is currently available to enable one to merely reach inside the yoke with the tool to tighten the nut.
In order to disassemble the yoke and universal joint assemblies, it is sometimes necessary to use a wrench, and any number of tools which may include a hammer, chisel, air compressor, air hose, air wrench, an elongated steel bar, wooden block, hydraulic jack, etc. Of course, after each of the yoke and universal joint assemblies have been disassembled and the nuts have been tightened, it is necessary to reassemble the yoke and U-joint assemblies.
Such procedure is time-consuming and sometimes very frustrating. Applicants propose to minimize the down time of the vehicle and to simplify the nut tightening procedure by providing a wrench which is designed to reach inside the yoke and universal joint assembly and engage the nut without the need to disassemble the yoke and U-joint assembly. In such procedure, down time is kept to a minimum, and the number of tools required is kept to a minimum. Also, by providing a proper tool and simplified procedure for the nut tightening process, the tendency by the mechanic to bypass the nut tightening operation (during periodic maintenance procedures) because of the complexity and time involved is eliminated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for tightening the nut of the yoke in a yoke universal joint assembly of a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a procedure which eliminates the need for disassemblying the yoke and universal joint assembly of the vehicle.